1 out of 4 single parent families with children is poor
The year 2010 is the European Year for combating poverty and social exclusion. The Dutch statistics office (CBS) published an overview of children and poverty in the Netherlands. Some of the most important results are that 10 percent of the Dutch children can be considered ‘poor’. Furthermore, in comparison to the situation of poor adults, 3,7 percent of all Dutch children live in a situation of long-term poverty. This problem threats most of all single parent families: 1 out of 4 single parent families with young children live beneath the low income threshold.
Amount of poor single parents has declined
The amount of poor single parent families in the Netherlands has declined since 2000. The major cause of this decrease is the growth of the labor participation of single parents. Nevertheless, single mothers and their children are 6 times more probable to live in poverty than married or cohabiting mothers. For single mothers it is also more difficult to become more economically stable.
Young children with single parents are worse off
The age of children is an important variable for predicting single parent poverty, because it is easier to participate in paid labour when their children grow up. The chance that children in single parent households between the age of 0-6 live in poverty is 60 percent. In the 6-12 years age group this chance is 55 percent and for 12-18 year olds this amount lowers to 40 percent. For children who live with both parents, on the contrary, this difference between age groups is almost non existent.
More poverty in urban areas
Statistics on poverty show big differences between Dutch municipalities. Cities like Rotterdam (27,4 percent), Amsterdam (27 percent) and The Hague (22,3 percent) have a bigger share of poor children than small and medium cities.
The Netherlands far below European average
Although the analysis above might suggest otherwise, the
situation in the Netherlands is actually not bad in comparison to
the European average. Whereas in Europe 20,3 of all children risk
poverty, in the Netherlands this percentage is only 12,9 percent.
Only Denmark, Slovenia, Finland and Sweden have better results.
Dutch policy of fighting poverty is coordinated by the ministry of
Social Affairs and Employment. Allocation of child benefits is more
favorable for single parent families than it was with the old
system until 2008.